We're bigger than luck (and better than fortune)
by Magicalwardrobe
Summary: Poppy Evans was as muggle as they came but she wouldn't let that keep her sister away from her.


**Disclaimer: nothing you can recognize belongs to me.**

**We're bigger than luck (and better than fortune).**

The first time Poppy heard about magic, she was eight and her sister couldn't stop chattering with the biggest smile on her face.

"And Severus said I could make things _fly_ and change colour and even turn them into animals! Because that's what his mother does and she's a witch too, you know?"

"And he's a witch too?"

Lily giggled. "Don't be silly. He's a _boy_ he can't be a witch too. He's a wizard!"

Poppy blinked. "Like Merlin?"

"I guess so?" they both recalled one of their favourite films _The Sword in the Stone_. "Younger, though."

"So can he turn into a fish?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. I'll have to ask him. Maybe we will learn how?"

They were both on Lily's bed on the room they shared. Petunia, being the oldest, had her own room, but Lily and Poppy, only one year apart, didn't mind sharing. That much.

(Besides, their room was bigger than Tuney's).

It was well past their bedtime, but both girls were still awake whispering in the dark, the only light coming from the bright moon outside. The window was opened just a crack and the singing of the crickets filled the silences. Lily's excitement was far too much to contain and she needed someone to share the adventures she'd had on her big day.

"Learn?" Poppy furrowed her brow. "There are places where you can learn _magic_?" her eyes were wide with wonder.

Lily leaned in even closer. "Severus told me about this school. He said it was called Hogwarts and we will be going there when we're eleven. The letter comes in with an _owl_."

"No way!"

Lily squeaked. "Yes!" she beamed. "It's in a huge castle because all the students have to go live there to learn magic and stuff."

"Do you think I could be a witch, too?" she wondered.

Lily mused for a while. "I don't know. Severus said how I made a lot of accidental magic. Remember all those weird things that happen around me? He said that was it. But you seem… normal. And I guess he would have said something, wouldn't he?"

Poppy's eyes flashed with disappointment for some seconds before she was smiling once again. "That's alright," she said. "I wouldn't want to leave my friends to go live in a _castle_," she gnawed at her lip worried. "Will your skin turn green, then? Like the Wicked Witch of the West?"

Lily hesitated for a second but then shook her head with a laugh. "Of course not! Severus' mother looks perfectly normal."

Poppy sighed with relief and the same sentiment was reflected in Lily's eyes. She took a look good at her sister and her whole body deflated.

"We're not going to let it come between us, right?" she asked. "If I'm not a witch and you have to go to this Hogy-warts place we'll still be best friends, won't we?"

"Oh, Pops!" Lily engulfed her in a tight hug. "Of course we will!"

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"But why can't I come too?" Poppy whined.

Hortensia Evans' lips twitched. "You don't even like to shop," she reminded her youngest daughter.

"Muuuum! It's _magical_ shopping!"

Hortensia just laughed softly and shook her head. "Sweetheart, you have practice in fifteen minutes. In fact, you should go get your things so I can drop you off."

"But can't you do it any other day?"

Hortensia merely stared at her sternly. It worked well enough for her daughter huffed and stomped her way upstairs to her room.

"I'm sure there will be more years," she assured once the young girl came back and jumped into the car. "And since we already will have seen it, we'll be able to show you around."

Poppy still pouted at the back of her mother's seat as she started the car. "I still wanted to go today."

"Don't be like that. Your Grandparents will pick you up after practice and I believe they have plans to take you out for dinner."

The girl's glare told her how much she cared about her grandparents and dinner.

Hortensia just sighed. "I'll see you tonight, sweetheart."

.

.

"And there was this huge shop with salamander's blood and beetle's eyes and _unicorn hair_. And it was so wicked! Wasn't it, Sev?"

Severus just hummed in agreement without taking his eyes from the passing landscape. He seemed very uncomfortable in the car with the three Evans girls and Lily's new cat purring in his lap.

"And what did you do today, sweetheart?" Hortensia asked from the front seat.

Poppy smiled. "Grandpa and Grandma and I went to The Big Fish for dinner and then Grandpa let me into the garage and I helped him with a car. It was really cool."

Her mother shook her head lightly. "That explains your clothes. Did you bathe in oil or something?"

"Grandpa taught me how to change the oil in a car!" and her eyes shone like it was the most amazing thing ever.

Lily, who was sitting in the middle seat between Poppy and Severus, wrinkled her nose. "You smell like petrol," she informed.

Poppy hugged her hard, making sure her sister's clothes were also stained with black. "Now you do too."

"MUUUM!"

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"Promise me you will write?" Poppy's eyes were wide and vulnerable as she hugged Toulouse, Lily's cat, close to her chest.

"I will," Lily promised. "Every week."

Poppy sniffed and nodded. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Pop."

Lily's eyes the travelled to Petunia, Tuney, sourly looking around a few paces away. Poppy knew what would follow wouldn't be nice, for Tuney had been stubbornly picking on Lily since she'd discovered her magic.

So Poppy bounced back to her parents and her father, seeing her crestfallen expression, hugged her close to his side. Toulouse and Poppy both looked up at him and Charles managed a small smile.

"Everything will be alright," he assured. "I'm sure Lily will be fine."

Poppy's eyes went back at the floor. "I'm just afraid Lily finds some other friends and replaces me," she whispered. "We won't see each other as much as we do now and I don't want us to be like Jill and Mary who hate each other," she looked at Lily and Petunia, arguing in the busy platform. "I don't want to be jealous of Lily like Tuney is and push her away. But what if I can't help it?"

Charles squeezed her shoulder. "Oh, sweetie!" he sighed. "You've always had Jill and Becca and Eli back home and that didn't make you any less closer to Lily, did it? Now she gets to have all those close friends, too. And she won't forget you just like you haven't forgotten her. And it's okay to be a little jealous," he said. "but it won't matter if _you_ don't let it come between you."

"Thing will change," Hortensia said. "But everything will be alright in the end."

Charles smiled. "And now you have a huge room of your own most of the year."

Poppy's eyes light up. "Can I redecorate?"

"Why don't you go ask Lily? I'm sure she won't mind."

"-wizards poke their noses in everywhere!" Petunia was saying when Poppy rushed back into their conversation.

"LILY! Dad says I can redecorate our room while you're gone if you don't mind. So can I? Pretty, pretty please?"

Lily tore her eyes from the retreating figure of their oldest sister. "What?"

"Do you mind?" Poppy asked. "If I redecorate. Dad said it was alright."

Lily blinked. "I- what? Redecorate?"

The train whistle blew and both sisters jumped startled. Poppy trust Toulouse in Lily's arms and pushed her towards the train. "There you go! I'll behave! Promise! I'll miss you!"

And all Lily could do was stare in bemusement as her little sister joined the rest of their family with a big smile on her face. Toulouse meowed in her arms and she shook her head.

"Come on!" she told the cat. "Let's go find our compartment."

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"Good," Richard eyed his granddaughter approvingly as she twisted the tap of the brake fluid to a close. "Now you know how to make sure the brake fluid it's up to date and how to change it if it isn't," he narrowed his eyes playfully. "After how long should you change the fluid?"

Poppy bounced on the balls of her feet. "Two years," she answered. "Three tops. No more than four."

He smiled proudly. "That's my girl."

"Can we go steal some of Grandma's biscuits?" she begged with wide eyes.

"I'm sure she won't mind," his eyes, the same shade of blue as his youngest granddaughter, were mischievous.

They sneaked into the kitchen, though they wouldn't have needed to bother, for Rose Johnson was waiting for them with a plate of biscuits in her arms.

"There's some juice in the table," she told them.

Richard winked at Poppy. "We tried," he said.

She giggled and went to sit by the table. "Grandpa let me change the brake fluid all on my own," she announced. "It was awesome!"

"Are you sure you don't want to learn how to knit?" Rose asked.

Poppy wrinkled her nose. "Knitting is _boring_, cars are cool."

"Yeah, Rose," Richard seconded her, looking for a lighter for the cigarette on his lips. "Cars are cool."

The old woman just shook her head, amused, but still joined them at the table. "How are things back home?"

"We miss Lily," Poppy said. "Though she writes a lot. She says she's made some friends and classes are cool and there's this bo-"

Rose raised an eyebrow. "I don't want to know how Lily's doing, sweetie, your mother tells me enough on the phone. I want to know how _you_ are doing. How's school? Did you make any new friends? Meet any boys?"

"Boys? She's ten!"

"Almost eleven!" Poppy corrected with a huge smile on her face. "And there are some boys in my class. They're loud, though, and make silly jokes. Some of them pulled Eli's braid the other day like they were _five_. I punched them like grandpa taught me," she beamed.

Her grandfather ginned. "That's my girl!"

"Richard!" Rose scowled at both of them. "Don't encourage her."

She pouted. "But they were making fun of Eli for her glasses! And Miss Thompson wasn't going to say anything. Though when I punched them she did," she muttered the last part to herself.

"How about your skating?" Rose steered the conversation to a safer topic. "Don't you have a competition one of these days?"

Poppy's whole face light up. "Yeah! In Coventry! There are going to be clubs from _all_ the Midlands! We're doing something of that Russian guy I can't never remember the name! I'm a snowflake!"

"Are you nervous?" Richard asked.

"A bit," she admitted with a small voice.

He smiled at her. "Don't worry; I'm sure you will be the best snowflake out there."

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"Come _on_, Lily! You may not need a lot of clothes in that school of yours but you do need to get something for this summer. You have three shirts! I counted them! Three!"

Lily made a face and closed her book. "I see your point," she said. "But the shops in Cokeworth are... well, shite."

Poppy rolled her eyes. "We aren't staying here. We can go to Birmingham! Spend the day there and everything!"

"And how do you plan on getting there?" Lily raised one eyebrow sceptically. "Because Mum and Dad are working and I don't trust Tuney in a car just yet."

Poppy gave her one of Petunia's my-sister-is-seriously-stupid patented looks. "The bus?" she smirked. "You know, it's like a car but bigger and it goes li-"

Lily threw her on of the couch cushions which landed straight in her face, but Poppy just laughed. "I know what a bus is, you twat."

Like the mature fifteen year old she was, Lily stuck out her tongue petulantly but it only made Poppy keep sniggering.

"Come on, Lils! It will be fun!"

Lily made a face. "But you don't even like to go shopping," she pointed out.

"True," said Poppy. "But I like spending time with you."

Lily couldn't say no after that.

.

.

"So… any boys you want to tell me about?"

"Well…" Lily smiled. "Kyle Davies asked me out on the last trip to Hogsmeade. We went to Madam Puddifoots."

Poppy's nose wrinkled. "That's not the best name. Please, tell me it's better than it sounds."

Lily laughed and shook her head. "I can't."

Her sister groaned. "_Lily!_"

"It was really fun in the end! And we kissed for a bit. Until Potter came and hexed Kyle's hair blue."

"So the Potter boy is still bothering you, then?"

Lily stabbed her ice cream viciously. "That arrogant toerag," she muttered darkly.

Poppy snickered to herself. "I'll take that as a yes."

Lily huffed. "I just don't understand why everybody loves him so much!" She said. "He makes fun of everyone, even the teachers, and they still love him!"

"Aaallright..." Poppy cut the rant before it could really start, already regretting having asked. She had heard the same thing for four years straight. "So Mike Summers asked me out the other day," she announced.

Lily's eyes widened and she smiled. "Mike Summers? That gangly boy who used to tug you hair?"

"Yeah," Poppy started to blush. "Turns out he has liked me since forever."

"And what did you tell him?" Lily asked.

Poppy blinked as if Lily had completely lost her mind. "I panicked and ran away, obviously."

Her sister laughed. "Obviously," she snorted. "Because telling him 'yes' would have been so bad."

"Lily, please!" Poppy scoffed. "He used to tug at my hair!"

Lily kept cackling. "No respectable girl will go out with a boy who tugged at her hair."

"Glad you understand," Poppy laughed. "Come on, I'm done. We should get back to looking, I'm sure we will find something outta sight."

She blinked. "Why would I want something out of sight? Isn't the point of clothes for them to be… you know… on sight?"

"'Outta sight' means cool, great," said Poppy. "Jesus, Lily, keep up with the slang, will you?"

The redhead just shook her head. "Sometimes I swear you're speaking in another language," she stood up and started walking towards the till to pay. "'Outta sight' means great," she repeated to herself shaking her head. "Because of course it does."

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"And Tim is having a party this Saturday night because his parents and on a trip and he has the house to himself. Since I'm dating him," Jill said. "we all are invited."

The other three fifteen-year-olds grinned.

"A party?" Becca said. "Awesome! Do you think there will be alcohol?"

Eli huffed. "Tim's parties are famous for their messes. And there is always alcohol," she turned to Jill. "I still can believe you're dating him."

"He's handsome, too," Jill added with a giggle.

Poppy's face dimmed. "This Saturday?" she asked. "Damn it! I can't!"

Her friends' eyes widened with alarm.

"You can't? What do you mean you can't?" Becca demanded in the end.

Poppy sighed. "Lily comes home this Saturday," she said. "We're having dinner at my grandparents to celebrate."

"And can't you skip it?" asked Jill.

Poppy frowned at her. "I don't see her for most of the year, the least I can do is spend her first night here with her."

Eli pursed her lips. "But the party isn't until late," she said. "I'm sure you could come once dinner is over."

"Yeah!" Jill nodded. "And if not you can always sneak out."

Poppy hesitated. "I don't know."

"Come _on_!" Jill urged. "Who knows when are we going to have another chance like this? You all know Tim's relationships are always short and I don't think we'll ever be invited to another of his parties again."

Becca snorted. "You don't seem very heartbroken about that."

Jill winked at her. Then both of them turned to look at Poppy, who was still musing.

"Come on!" Jill whined. "Are you really going to make me beg?"

Poppy smirked at that. "Would you?"

"Oh," her voice took a sultry quality. "For you my darling I would get down on my knees."

Becca groaned. "Oh, not this again!"

Both girls laughed.

.

.

"I swear every year there's more people in this room," Lily huffed looking at the posters.

"Not more people, just different one," noted Poppy. "Like I've taken down Ryan and Ali-"

Lily blinked. "Who?"

"Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw… From _Love Story_? _Come on_! I _made_ you watch that film!"

She shook her head. "Sorry, doesn't ring a bell."

Poppy huffed. "Anyway, now you have Freddie Mercury and the rest of _Queen_, and Diana Ross, and ABBA and we can't forget Brotherhood of Man."

"Alright the first ones more or less I knew. That last one…"

Poppy looked at her outraged. "Brotherhood of Man!" she exclaimed. "They've won us the Eurovision this year!"

And she started humming the song.

Lily had to admit she'd missed her sister. Even when she was humming silly songs sitting on the floor of their room or when she was trying to sneak into their grandfather's garage to steal a motorcycle and go to a party.

Though their grandparents had been more amused than anything else, Poppy was still grounded for the rest of the week.

"At least I get to spend some more time with you," Poppy had told her with a smile when Mum and Dad had told her of her punishment.

Even Charles and Hortensia Evans hadn't been able to deny them that.

After all, from what Lily told them, it wasn't as she was going to spend that summer between Poppy and the Snape boy like the ones before.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Tuesdays were a long day for Poppy. After classes she had a class of young ice skaters she had to teach. Then she went back home for dinner and to do some homework while the hockey teams trained. Then she had to go back to the arena for her own practice. Most days she even went in early and with her friends they watched the hockey team practice before they all went into the ice and waited for Coach Sanderson.

She usually got back home close to eleven, took a shower and dropped dead on her bed.

That Tuesday her father picked her up from school.

"Dad? What are you doing here?" she waved her friends goodbye as she rushed to meet the man.

Charles Evans' eyes were filled with sadness when he looked at his daughter. "It's your grandfather," he said. "He's at the hospital."

.

.

Rose Johnson tried to clear her cheeks when she saw her youngest granddaughter come into the room. Her husband was sleeping on the bed wearing one of those patient robes.

Poppy had never seen him look so small or so old.

She sat on the empty plastic chair by the bed and grabbed his hand. She wanted to clutch to it like she did when she was little, but she was afraid of somehow breaking it.

"Hortensia and Petunia are in the cafeteria getting some food," Rose explained. "But I don't blame them for wanting to leave."

Charles squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "He's going to be fine," he said. "What did the doctors say?"

"It's lung cancer," she said. "Stage four," and then she started to sob.

Poppy wanted to scream, cry and break things. She wanted to shout to the skies and pinch herself to wake up. She wanted to run away from that nightmare. Instead she tightened her grip on her grandfather's hand and refused to let go.

.

.

Lily came home for the funeral, half a year later. She was wearing a grey dress and black shoes and her make-up was a mess.

Poppy, in her dark blue skirt and white shirt, grasped her hand and with her free one clutched at her grandmother. Her only living grandparent left.

It was a hot day for May and the only thing Poppy wanted was to go home and get it over with. After everybody spoke and the coffin was underground Poppy and her family went to her grandparents –her grandmother's now– house to keep the widow company.

Lily, Poppy and Petunia fell asleep on the big wardrobe full of jackets and pants and shirts smelling of aftershave and tobacco.

Three days later Poppy let herself into the house, a puppy squirming on her arms.

"Granny! I've brought some company!" she called.

When the old woman appeared downstairs, Poppy handed her the dog.

"This is Ringo," was all that she said.

And her grandmother smiled softly for the first time in weeks. Richard had loved the Beatles.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Poppy and her family had spent six years hearing about that awful Potter boy and his friends. Though Poppy more than anyone else in the family.

So it was quite a surprise when Lily was almost eighteen and she brought the Potter boy home.

(Poppy had been expecting it since Lily's fifth year, Hortensia since her sixth).

Lily was already able to do magic outside of school and apparate to places. So she didn't need her parents picking her up from the station anymore. She appeared there on her own, one hand clutched around her boyfriend's and the other her luggage.

"Mum! I'm home!"

Hortensia came from the kitchen and screamed with joy. "Lily! We weren't expecting you until a couple of hours," she came to hug her daughter. "Oh, my! And who is this striking young fellow?"

Lily started to blush. "Mum!" she grabbed James' hand and tugged him closer. "This is my boyfriend," she said. "James Potter."

Hortensia Evans eyes light up. "Potter you say? Oh, we've heard so much about you."

"_Mum!_"

James laughed. "That's not very reassuring," he said.

To his surprise Hortensia hugged him. "I'm sure you'll make my daughter very happy. Even if my husband disagrees."

"I hope I do," he said sincerely. "She isn't the easiest woman to please, but I try my best."

Hortensia smiled softly. "Will you stay for dinner, James?" she asked. "I'm making shepherd's pie."

"I can never say no to shepherd's pie."

Hortensia caught Lily's expression, soft and warm, and her heart melted. "It's still going to be a bit until food is ready. Lily, why don't you show him around town? You can even go pick up your sister-"

"_Petunia_? But I thought she was living in London!"

"Poppy, dear. She's coaching some kids back at the ring. She should be done in an hour or so."

Lily looked longingly at the couch in front of the fireplace and sighed. "Alright, Mum," she conceded.

James followed her once again to the door. "So…" James started somewhat anxiously. "Poppy is the one you like, right?"

Lily smiled at his wording and the worry on his voice. "You'll be fine," she told him rolling her eyes. "Poppy is really nice; Petunia is the one you should be worrying about."

"But I don't care if Petunia likes me or not," James muttered.

"Then you're already doing great."

.

.

Poppy grabbed her toes and smiled at the kids sitting in a circle around her trying to do the same. She started counting out loud, trying not to laugh at the huffs around her.

"And twenty!" she clapped once. "We're done, now! You can go to the showers or go home if you'd rather."

They all always wanted to go home and her kids scrambled around in the bleachers trying to find their bags.

"Bye, Poppy!"

"Have a nice day!"

"Bye!"

"Goodbye!"

"Bye-bye!"

They were all out the door within a minute and then the ring was hers to enjoy. With a giddy smile she sat on one of the benches to put on her skates and then stepped into the ice.

Lily stopped when they entered the stadium and saw Poppy skating. She gestured for James to follow her quietly and sat down in the last row with her boyfriend by her side.

"I haven't seen her skate for a long time," she explained. "She's pretty good."

The couple watched as Poppy skated backwards with ease. Then she jumped, twirling around in the air, and fell on one feet.

"Holy shit!" James gaped at her.

"I know, right," Lily smiled. "She's been drilling me about the different jumps for ages but I can't really tell them apart."

Poppy started to spin then, with one leg crossed over the other and her arms up.

"There's no way she's not going to get sick after that," James told her.

But when she stopped it didn't seem she was even a little bit dizzy, for she went on to skating happily.

"We better stop her, or we could be here hours," Lily said after a minute. "Hey, Pop!" she called. "Quit showing off."

Poppy skated towards them with a smile on her face. "Lils! You're back!"

The two sisters met in a hug on one of the entrances to the ring. Poppy then smiled up at James.

"Hi!" she said. "I'm Poppy," two dimples appeared on her cheeks when she smiled up at James. "I bet you are James Potter, aren't you?"

"How did you…?" James managed to gasp.

The girl smirked. "Oh, I've just heard a lot about you. Actually I had expected to see you a lot sooner."

Lily lunged for her sister, but Poppy was already out of reach, with a laugh on her lips. James smiled amused at the two girls' antics.

The two sisters looked similar enough that people could easily guess they were family. Poppy's hair was lighter, more orange-like (strawberry blonde, the older Evans would scold at him), and she had bright blue eyes. Across her cheeks and over her nose there was an array of freckles spattered that made his lips twitch.

Lily didn't have that many freckles but he cherished every one of them.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Poppy cried. "You can't just turn your shoes into ice-skates!"

"How else I am going to murder you then?"

Poppy sped away from her sister's grasp, far more comfortable on the ice than the older girl. "How about you don't?"

"Nice try!" Lily scoffed. "Now stay still so I can catch you."

And as James watched them chase each other on the ring he couldn't help but think of Sirius and himself. It made him smile to see that Lily had someone as close as Sirius was to him.

"Poppy Evans you come here and face me like a man!"

"I think you'll find there's something wrong with that sentence."

Something told him he and Poppy would become great friends.

.

.

Poppy tugged the zipper of her leather jacket to cover her neck. Her nose had started to turn red and she rubbed it with her gloved hand.

"God! So bloody cold!" Poppy exclaimed.

Lily glared at her mutinously. "I've noticed."

Her sister smiled. "How are you getting back home? The bus?"

Lily wrinkled her nose with distaste. "No, we're apparating. Do you want to come?"

"I'd love to, but I'm riding Maddie."

James raised one eyebrow at the unintended innuendo. Poppy's mischievous look told him it hadn't been all that unintended.

"Maddie?" Lily's eyes were wide with alarm. "Who's Maddie?"

Poppy beamed. "Come on!" she said happily. "I'll introduce you."

_Maddie_ wasn't far. It was a black motorbike which, in Lily's opinion, didn't look very sturdy.

"What is _that_?"

Poppy rested one hand on the handlebars. "This is Maddie," she said proudly. "It's a Triumph TR25W Trophy. Grandpa and I started rebuilding it time ago and he said I could keep it when we finished. When he died I kept going on my own."

"Can you even drive that?"

"Well…" Poppy blushed. "Technically not until my birthday because it's a 250cc and you have to be seventeen to ride one."

Lily gaped. "And Mum and Dad _let you_?"

"Grandpa taught me how to ride a bike when I was _thirteen_," she said. "I know how to handle this."

James decided to act before things could get worse. "So this is another way of _muggle_ transportation?" he asked walking closer to the bike. "How can it stand uptight if it only has two wheels?" and he eyed the kickstand with mistrust.

"Do you want to try it?"

James declined wisely, seeing Lily's murderous expression. "Ah… I think I'll pass."

Poppy winked at him. "I'll be here when you change your mind."

She untied the helmet she had strapped to her bag and put it on.

"At least you worry about road safety," Lily told her sister.

"I don't want to get _killed_, you know?"

James' eyes widened and he looked at the smirking girl who didn't seem to care she was getting on a death trap. _Muggles_ were sometimes, he thought to himself, a bit barmy.

"I'll tell Mum you're on your way," said Lily. "Do you want me to take your bag?"

"That would be great, thanks," she snickered at Lily's surprised yelp when the full weight of Poppy's blue sports bag fell onto her arms.

"What are you carrying here? Rocks?"

Poppy just smirked and jumped on her bike. The engine roared loudly as it came to life between her legs. She curled her fingers over the handlebars and the street reverberated with the noise.

"See you back home!" she told the couple and then she was off with a surprising speed.

"I know what Sirius will want for his birthday next year," he said.

Lily let out a surprised laugh.

.

.

"So… your sister wants you to meet Vernon before the wedding on the twenty-seventh."

Lily immediately scowled at the word wedding.

"I would swap places with you in a heartbeat," Poppy said. "The bridesmaid's dress is awful."

"Poppy!"

"It's pink, Mum! A pink dress with red hair!"

Hortensia sighed, clearly tired of the conversation he'd had many times before. Charles, luckily, came to her rescue.

"So, James, from what Lily tells me you play that magic sport. She hasn't been able to tell me what it's like, but maybe you can?"

Both men looked relieved when James launched on a dramatic explanation of the sport with big hand gestures. He even used some of the condiments and glasses to explain some of the more popular plays.

"-one of my favourites," James was saying. "It needs all the players except the Keeper, so it's not very used. So, the Seeker stays on the back here…"

Poppy leaned over her plate, trying to get the salt (also known as the opposite's team seeker) but it was out of her reach. She struggled to grasp the salt-cellar; her finger's not even brushing the cool glass.

It flew to her hand, colliding against her palm.

Poppy gaped, eyes wide as saucers. Soft snickers made her close her mouth and she glared at Lily, who had her wand on her hand beneath the table.

She kicked her shin.

"Merlin's balls!" James yelped.

The rest of the table fell silent. Charles was at the head of the table with Hortensia on his left and Lily on his right. James was next to Lily and, regretfully in front of Poppy, who didn't have that good of an aim.

"What the hell, Poppy!"

Poppy's eyes were wide. "Oh my God, James! I'm so sorry! I missed!"

Charlie looked at his youngest daughter with a stern expression. "What's going on, Pop?"

"Lily was destroying my dreams of ever being a Jedi and I was trying to get her back but I missed," she grimaced. "I'm really sorry, James."

Hortensia huffed exasperated and Charles' sternness disappeared. "I'm afraid the Force is not strong with you."

"Shhh! A girl can dream!"

"What are you talking about?" Lily said in the end.

Poppy's eyes widened. "Right! You don't know about it!"

"Don't know about what?"

"Star Wars!" Charles and Poppy said at the same time.

The two wizards shared confused looks. "Star Wars?" James wondered. "What's that?"

"It's only like… the best film ever!" she exclaimed passionately. "It premiered in the United States back in _May_ and, remember Dad's trip to the States back in June? The one he took me with him? Well, we went to see it because they won't release it here until December 27th. Which is very unfair."

"But we will go to see it anyway," Charles added. "Petunia, in fact, had planned to have an evening wedding but she had to move it to the morning because most of her guests wanted to go see the film premier," he was snickering by the end.

His wife scowled. "Charles! Don't laugh, it's not funny! You would have missed most of your daughter's wedding because of a stupid film you've already seen."

"But it's Star Wars!" he said.

James cleared his throat sheepishly. "I'm sorry but… what's a film?"

Father and daughter let out twin gasps of surprised indignation.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"You were right. It doesn't go with your hair at all."

"Oh, shut up!" Poppy eyed enviously her sister's emerald dress.

James smiled at his girlfriend's sister and handed her a glass of champagne. "I know you're not yet old enough to drink, but Lily says you're sixteen so that's old enough for me."

Poppy snorted and rolled her eyes. "As if I haven't drunk stronger things," at her sister's questioning look she added: "Jill".

It said enough.

Petunia's wedding party was in an elegant venue ('it's a barn,' Lily would say) on Leicestershire with some very beautiful gardens in which Poppy's heels got stuck.

The couple said their vows, the mothers cried and it didn't rain, although it was very cold. People talked about Christmas, their plans for New Year and, to Petunia's dismay, the Star Wars film.

Poppy got hit on by one of Vernon's cousins and James saved her by asking her on a dance. "He was as fat and ugly as his cousin," he told her.

"I think one Dursley in our family is enough," said Poppy.

Lily caught the bouquet and she blushed red as her hair while Poppy laughed at her. Poppy tried to get James to catch the garter but he refused with a laugh.

"Give these poor sods a change, Pop," he said.

Then she went to sing, more like scream, _Dancing Queen_ with her grandmother, jumped around with James trying to teach him the lyrics to _Hotel California_ and _Sugar, sugar_ and, with Lily's help, having lots of fun teaching him how to dance _The Twist_.

All in one, it wasn't as awful as she had dreaded.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"So… what are you going to do now?"

Lily looked at her sister who was sitting on the couch with her legs over the backrest and her head hanging, her hair brushing the floor.

"What do you have against sitting like a normal person?"

Poppy, whose head was turning red, tried to shrug. "Nothing, really." But she sat up and adopted a more normal position. "So?" she urged.

"Well, there's an apprenticeship in the Ministry for Magical Law and one of my teachers recommended me for it, so there's that. I thought maybe I could go into healing but I haven't got the N.E.W.T.s. I guess I'll have to look around."

Poppy put her feet over her sister's lap. "Are you staying here, then?"

"Where else would I go?"

She raised one eyebrow. "I figured you and James would go live together," she said. "I don't really see you coming back home with Mum and Dad."

Lily pinched her feet. "Are you trying to get rid of me so soon?" she gasped with mock indignation. "The betrayal!"

Poppy laughed and kicked her hand. "Shut up!"

"You don't want to share room anymore, that's it, right? You want me out of the house and out of your life so you can have the room all to yourself once again."

"Well," Poppy rubbed her neck. "I was thinking that you could stay in Tuney's room," at Lily's expression she threw her hands up almost in defence. "It's not like she's going to be using it anymore!"

Lily wrinkled her nose. "You want me to go to _Tuney_'s room?"

"You can redecorate, obviously."

The older girl rolled her eyes. "Oh, how magnanimous of you!"

Poppy curled her legs under her. "I just don't want to be in the same room when you sneak James in and do all kind of unspeakable things to each other."

Lily's face turned as red as her hair. "POPPY!"

Her sister laughed. "Come on! It's not like I'm twelve anymore. And you two have been dating for _months_. You really expect me to believe you haven't done anything?"

"I'm not talking with you about this."

"Sweet sister, your face says enough."

Lily hit her with a cushion.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Lily told her about Voldemort. Well, James his friends, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and Petter Pettigrew, were there too.

"Well, _hello_," a handsome black haired young man smirked at her when he saw her come in with James and Lily. "And who are you?"

Lily's glare stopped him on his tracks. "Hands off my sister, Black."

"Don't you have your own flat?" James looked a bit flabbergasted. "How come you spend more time here than there?"

Sirius Black guffawed. "You really think I know how to cook?"

To Poppy it said enough.

They had been going to James' house because Poppy had made the mistake of asking James about _quidditch_ that afternoon he was over at their house. When she told him she couldn't imagine people flying on brooms he set out to fix that mistake.

He probably wasn't expecting to see his friends there without him.

"And you all just hang out at my house even when I'm not there?"

The three wizards shared a look. "Yes," they said at the same time.

Introductions were made and Poppy asked everything she could think of about magic. There were goofy demonstrations and a lot of laughter and jokes. Then things turned serious.

"He's a bad wizard, obsessed with the purity of blood," James explained.

"All those accidents… gas explosions, bridges breaking… that was him. Killing _muggles_ and _muggleborns_," said Lily.

Poppy knew those words. "Like me, like you."

Lily nodded.

"Why?"

"Some wizards, pureblood wizards, think they are superior than 'mudbloods' because they come from a long line of witches and wizards. They believe _muggles_ are below them and only good dead. Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters, put those thoughts into action," Sirius Black explained.

Poppy scrunched her nose. "So Voldemort is like Hitler and his Death Eaters are the Nazis and I'm Jewish?"

Remus Lupin let out a bitter snort. "You couldn't have said it better."

"And no one is trying to stop him? What about your government?"

They all made unconvinced faces.

"They're doing it the best they can," Remus said politely in the end.

"But there's this organization," James told her confidently. "The Order of the Phoenix."

"I'm guessing you want to join."

"We all do," Lily told her with bright eyes. "I cannot let this happen and do nothing to try and stop it."

Poppy sighed. "That's not you."

"That's not me."

"I just… I don't want to lose anyone else. Like Grandpa."

Lily scooted closer in the couch to give her a one-armed hug. "You won't lose me," she said so surely Poppy had no choice but to believe her.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

That summer she got a job as a waitress in one of the few restaurants Cokeworth had. It was stressful but it paid well enough and Poppy liked the feeling of independence that it came with earning her own money.

She spent a lot of time with her friends, Becca even worked with her on the restaurant. They watched movies, went swimming, shopping and got drunk from time to time.

Poppy now had Lily who could buy alcohol for her, after all.

Lily had gotten a job in an Apothecary in Diagon Alley at the beginning of summer. It seemed to make her happy.

"I thought you wanted to take that apprenticeship in the Ministry about Magical Law or something," Poppy told her, watching as she measured some eyes of newt for a costumer.

Since Lily started working there, Poppy had seen a lot more of the magical district.

Her sister just shrugged. "I realized it wouldn't have made me happy. That's seven sickles, Ms. Spudmore."

Ms. Spudmore, a kind old lady, smiled at them both. "My son studied Magical Law," she told them. "He quit after ten years to start making broomsticks."

"How is he doing?" Poppy asked interested.

"Have you heard of the Spitfire?"

Lily and Poppy exchanged a look. "No," said Lily in the end.

"That should tell you enough."

Both sisters waited until the woman was outside the shop to start laughing.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

It was one week into the school year, late in the evening, when Poppy came home to find her sister, her mother and her grandmother talking excitedly on the kitchen.

"What's going on here?"

The three women turned to look at her. Lily beamed and it light up the whole room, it looked as if she was about to burst with happiness. Slowly she raised her hand and a ring glinted under the kitchen lights.

"No!" Poppy gaped at her sister. "He proposed?"

Lily's smile turned even bigger. "He proposed."

The two sisters hugged each other in the middle of the kitchen and squealed. Then Poppy started to jump, dragging Lily around as she chanted «_he proposed, he proposed_» like it would make it rain.

The lightness of that moment washed away the worries that the talk about war, the bad news on the telly and even the stress about classes making her feel better than she'd felt in a while.

"You aren't going to make me wear another pink dress, are you?"

"Who says you get to be bridesmaid?"

Poppy glared at her.

.

.

The wedding was set for late February and yet somehow Poppy found herself already deep in wedding magazines and being asked about floral arrangements.

That was whenever Lily didn't disappear without a word for days at the time.

Lily, James and the other three boys had managed to join that rebellion group (which Poppy had started to call the Rebel Alliance in her head) in the late summer. By the time she went back to school they started to go out in missions.

Lily remained mostly in London, having a job in the middle of the Alley that helped collect information and protect civilians in case of an attack. Her boss, though, knew of Lily's affiliations, and wasn't very surprised when she told her she would be absent for some days.

James and Sirius, on the other hand, had foregone the auror thing they had wanted to join and instead worked full time with the Order. That meant that they were missing a lot more, usually together.

Since Peter and Remus didn't have enough money to allow them to join the Order fulltime they also got some jobs and didn't get called in often because of that. Peter helped around in one of the pubs of Diagon Alley and she and Lily ate with him whenever Poppy went to visit her sister. As it appeared their lunch meetings were an everyday occurrence.

Remus was also always working but for some reason he didn't seem able to keep a job for more than some months and it became a joke between the two of them for Poppy to try to guess which bizarre job he had landed that time. Wizards could have very strange jobs.

"So you just brush ash off of people?"

"Yes."

"And they _pay_ you for it?"

"Well, not a lot."

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Poppy was wishing for the Christmas holidays, too stressed already with the A-levels exams at the end of the year. And it was just mid-December.

That Wednesday evening they were supposed to celebrate her grandmother's birthday and so they were going to Rose's favourite restaurant. Since Poppy had to train her kids before going there, her parents drove to pick up her grandmother and she would go with her bike (now that she was legally allowed to drive it) later.

So Poppy was very surprised when she got there and nobody was waiting for her.

"Sorry, Pop, your family is not here," Grace, one of the women working there and also her mother's best friend, told her. "Do you want to call your grandmother's to see if maybe they're still there?"

"It won't hurt to try."

Nobody answered and so Poppy waited on a table by the window, with a free _Coca-Cola_ for over an hour. Lily was out on a mission for the Order and Petunia and Vernon were on that trip to Rome Tuney had wanted ever since she was five and she'd seen _Roman Holiday_ for the first time, so Poppy was alone.

"Still nothing?" Grace came to check up on her every ten minutes, also worried about their absence.

"Maybe I should get back home?" Poppy felt the worry constricting her chest. "Call me if they appear."

Grace never got to call. The police knocked on her door instead.

Her mother was in surgery. A car crash, they said. Neither her grandmother or her father had survived the impact. It didn't seem like her mother would make it to the next day.

It was December 13th and Poppy was alone in a hospital waiting room, feeling as if her world was falling to pieces and not knowing what to do.

"What about your sisters?" the policeman asked her. "Do you have their hotel's phone number?"

Poppy insisted on telling Tuney herself, it was better than a policeman that had nothing to do with them. Her sister's sobs broke her heart and Tuney promised her she would get on the first plane back.

And there was no contacting Lily.

Hortensia Evans died two hours later on surgery.

When Petunia and Vernon came back they helped her arrange the funeral and pay for everything. And there was still no sign of Lily.

The morning of the funeral Poppy awoke with a sigh after hardly even sleeping during the night. Then she went to check to see if maybe her sister had magically appeared overnight.

Lily slept in what once had been Petunia's bedroom, her back against the wall and hugging one of the pillows like she always did. Poppy ripped that pillow from her arms and hit her on the face until she awoke.

"What the hell? Poppy! That's no way of waking someone up! And I'm up! Merlin! Stop hitting me! I'm up, I'm up!" she spied the clock on her bedside table and growled. "It's five in the morning!" she ducked another hit of the pillow. "What has gotten into you? Poppy, for the love of God! Stop it! You'll wake Mum and Dad!"

"They're… not… here."

"What do you mean-? Stop it!" Lily grabbed the pillow and took it from her hands. "What do you mean they're not here? Where are they?"

Poppy's lip started to shake and she crumbled in front of her bewildered sister.

Lily took her into her arms, sitting with her back against the wall so she could cradle her better. "Poppy? What's going on? What do you mean they're not here?"

"They're dead! Mum and Dad and Grandma! They're all dead and I was alone!"

.

.

The funeral was a sombre affair. Most of Cokeworth was there to offer their condolences to the three Evans' sisters. Jill, Becca and Eli latched to Poppy and acted as a shield of sorts, not letting anyone go talk to her unless it was someone she wanted to, until it was over and they all went home.

But then it wasn't over. There was still too much to do.

There was the HMRC and the National Insurance and the Child Benefit since Poppy was underage and still studying. There was even the question of what to do with Poppy.

There were just too many things to do and Poppy thanked God Tuney was there to do them because she had no idea what they all meant.

There were the wills, the property records and having to value the state for their parents' home and their grandparents' place. Her grandfather's workshop had been left for Poppy to have once she was eighteen so that was one less thing to deal with.

But still…

Poppy was left an orphan and she didn't know how to deal with that.

Lily and Poppy stayed on their parents' house with Ringo. Petunia was furious at Lily for almost having missed the funeral and she refused to speak to her ever again. She went back to her home in Surrey with Vernon and only wrote to Poppy a couple letters a month.

That Christmas wasn't the best one overall.

On Christmas' Eve Poppy was invited to the Potter house (more like mansion) since Lily was going with James and Poppy didn't really have anywhere else to go. Even if the Potters were very nice she still struggled not to let out how much she missed her parents and grandparents, and fighting with Lily over where the presents should go and singing carols and…

She didn't do a very good job if Euphemia Potter's sad looks were anything to go by. But at least the woman made sure she had cookies.

Christmas Day they spent it with the Order, not on a mission or a reunion, but celebrating dinner. Poppy met for the first time the rest of the rebellion group and some of Lily's old teachers.

"So you mean you can make this teacup turn into a rat?"

"It's usually done the opposite way, but yes."

"But why would you do that? Poor rat! It's still feeling? Besides, _I _wouldn't drink from a cup that I know it's been a rat!"

The woman smiled at her. "Sometimes we wizards do very strange things."

Then they got attacked, because of course Voldemort and his Death Eaters didn't rest for Christmas. As one mostly everybody swarmed in to protect Poppy, the defenceless _muggle_, which obviously made the attackers more set on getting to her.

Then a man that looked as if he'd stepped from a nightmare came forward. His face looked like wax, half-deformed and his eyes bloodshot as if he'd just come from a very hard-core party or like he had spent three hours crying on the solitude of his bathroom.

Poppy doubted it was either of them.

When he stepped forward everybody stopped fighting to look at him. The man stared at Poppy, between the four Marauders, Lily, Lily's friends, the kind professor form earlier and two redhead twins that had spent most of the time flirting with her to piss off Lily, and smiled.

"Now, that is interesting," his unexpected high-pitched voice made her snort.

Lily elbowed her.

"And who would you happen to be?" his voice didn't seem so funny anymore and it sent a shiver down her spine.

Lily raised her wand, her eyes dancing in fire. "Don't you dare to touch her!"

The man, probably Voldemort, Poppy figured, glanced at Lily like she was an annoying puppy trying to climb up his robe. Then he looked back at Poppy and a smirk curved his lips.

"Oh, I see the family resemblance. And that would mean…" his eyes flashed at Poppy's empty hand. "A _muggle_," he spat with disgust.

His words sent everybody on fighting again. Poppy felt a hand on her wrist so she turned. It was Lily her eyes wide and panicked.

"You need to get out of here," she told her. Almost without looking she erected a shield that turned purple when a curse hit it. "Remus!" she called. "You need to get her out."

Remus, at her other side, frowned. "They've put up anti-apparition wards. There's no way out."

"Well, you'll have to take her outside and then apparate."

Poppy frowned at them. "Stop talking like I'm not here!" they ducked a green flash of light. "I'm not leaving you!"

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not!" a window broke showering them all in glass.

Lily sent a hex flying in the direction of the fight, then she turned back to her. Her gaze was determined and angry as she took her by her shoulders. "Pop, I can't fight if I'm worrying about you the whole time. You _need_ to go," she looked over her shoulder and nodded. "I'm sorry," she said. "I love you."

Her hug was quick but tight and Remus was tugging her away from her before she had a chance to react. Her eyes stung. That was a just-in-case in hug and she didn't like it one bit.

She only had her sisters left and she wasn't planning on losing them, too.

Remus barely managed to get her out, dogging hexes and curses the whole time. The second they were out on the street they started running, two Death Eaters hot on their heels.

"Come on, come on, come on," he kept muttering.

And then suddenly he dragged her close to him and they were gone.

Poppy refused to talk with Remus, even if she knew it wasn't really his fault, until when, hours later, the rest of his friends arrived with Lily. The two sisters hugged and cried, while the four men looked away to give them some sort of privacy.

"I know why you did it," Poppy told her. "But I'm not happy about it. And I would ask you not to do it again but I know you won't listen."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Lily told her.

And so they ended Christmas Day sitting on a bench in the Kensington Gardens and eating kebabs.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

With their parents' death, Lily decided to make their wedding a much quieter affair. Poppy was bridesmaid along with a girl called Alice, whom Poppy had met several times during the summers, and Sirius was the best man. The Order was there, James parents too, Lily's boss and some of her friends for Hogwarts.

"I feel very _muggle_ right now," Poppy confessed to Lily as they watched the very magical guests, most of them dressed very strangely. "I feel like I'm the weird one."

"You _are_ weird," Lily told her.

Poppy laughed and elbowed her. "Come on," she said. "Let's show these wizards how to dance."

And she pulled her sister in a fast dance that involved a lot of spinning around.

She had made friends with Alice while they both helped Lily and James ready the wedding. The girl introduced her to her husband Frank and to some other girls who were also Lily's friends.

"Has Lily showed you some of our drinks?" a gorgeous blonde woman with the name of Marlene Mckinnon asked her.

Poppy, who was still with her champagne glass from the beginning of the wedding, shook her head.

Marlene smirked. "You _have_ to try firewhisky then."

Most of the wedding became a blur after she tried to out-drink Marlene with shots of firewhisky. She remembered flashes of dancing with Sirius and Remus and Peter, Lily and her friends and her new brother-in-law.

Poppy and Marlene ended up sleeping in a park on London and had to take a train back to Cokeworth.

But, hey, at least Poppy made another friend.

Even if Lily promised her he wasn't going to let her live it down.

.

.

When James and Lily came back from their honeymoon they stayed living with her in Cokeworth. They said they needed somewhere to crash into while they were looking for some place to live but Poppy knew they didn't want to leave her alone or (seeing that she was still underage) living with Petunia.

That meant that from then on their house became the meeting point. The Marauders, as Lily had told her they were called in school, came and went at their leisure. Most days Remus, Sirius and Peter stayed in the couch.

The first time Remus came by when no one else was home it was very awkward. Until Poppy showed him her record collection and they started talking about the Beatles and movies. They burnt dinner and had to call in take out, laughing the whole time. She propped open some cans of beer and they fell asleep watching as Tom Baker's Doctor rambled on the screen.

Since then it became an usual occurrence for Remus or Peter or both to stay in her house when Sirius, James and Lily were away on a mission.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

When it seemed Poppy was more or least getting used to things life decided to throw her a curveball. It was the beginning of April and Poppy was so ready for the Easter break.

Fleamont and Euphemia caught the Dragon Pox and died within a couple of days of each other. Poppy, who had taken to go with Lily to some of the Sunday's lunches at the Potters, was devastated.

But it had nothing to do with how James was feeling, or even Sirius.

Poppy went to her first magical funeral.

It was pretty much like a normal funeral. It reminded Poppy of her parent's or grandparent's funeral. There were a lot of people, for it seemed the Potters were pretty famous and well-liked.

James clutched at Lily's hand and refused to let go through the whole service.

.

.

After the funeral James and Lily moved to one of the many properties of the Potter family. The Potter family which now only consisted on two wizards not even in their twenties.

They still came by a lot but still… Poppy was alone in a too-big-house full of memories most of the time.

Jill, Becca and Eli took to spending most afternoons and some weekends at her home. They said that way they could study all together but Poppy knew they did it for her. So that she didn't feel so lonely.

They were great friends.

And the town helped.

Poppy wasn't much of a cook so Mrs. Parker, the old widow living next door, took to leaving home-cooked meals that Poppy could have on her doorstep. And whenever Poppy's friends came to visit they also brought food.

The teachers were kind and understanding, thought that didn't mean they left her out of the hook on her homework. Her kids at the ice ring brought her cookies and were always hugging her goodbye or hello or whenever they felt she was sad.

It became a common occurrence for one of them to shout "Group-Hug" and then for Poppy to become surrounded of small limbs and sad smiles.

Ringo stayed with her at the house and it made her days easier. The dog slept with her and he made her feel less alone.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

She spent her eighteenth birthday doing her Physics exam. The Maths one wasn't far behind either and so all the celebration she allowed was a quiet dinner at her house.

Petunia refused to come when Poppy let it slip that Lily and James would be there.

Poppy told Lily that their sister was terribly sick and couldn't make it. She didn't think Lily believed it, if the set on her lips was anything to go by.

The Marauders also came by, probably invited by Lily. Poppy didn't mind, she liked them all well enough and she had lots of fun trying to see the boys floundering in front of her friends.

"Look! It's a cubic curve" Becca exclaimed pointing at her spaghettis.

Poppy looked down at her own. "I have a degree 7 polynomial."

"That's not a degree 7," scoffed Becca. "That's a squiggle."

"It's not!"

"It is! Your spaghettis are just going on cardiac arrest."

Jill groaned. "Oh, my God, no more Maths! Or science."

"Not all of us can stick with English and Biology and the easy ones," Becca told her.

"Biology is not easy!" Eli jumped. "I'd like to see you tackle genetics!"

Poppy glanced apologetically at her guests. "I'm sorry, we aren't usually like this. We're on the middle of our A-Levels and things are a bit tense."

Becca grasped Peter's arm, who was the one closest to her. "You've all graduated, right? How did you manage? How didn't you die?"

Peter threw his friends a desperate look.

"Ah, yes, the Eight-Levels," Sirius nodded, coming to his friend's rescue. "We did them. We took our Eight-Levels and we slayed them."

It was too good an opportunity to pass up. "I can't remember, Sirius," Poppy started, her voice deceivingly sweet. "What _A-_Levels did you take, again?"

He glared at her. "Uuuuuh… The English one I did. I'm great at English, you see? And also, uh, the Maths one, too. With all the degrees. And, uh, _Lily_?"

Lily took pity on him. "Chemistry, wasn't it?"

"That's it! Chemistry!"

"How did you do in Maths? You think you could help me revise? There are still a few things I'm not sure I've got quite down." Becca rummaged through her back and slammed her Maths notes between Sirius and James.

Their eyes widened as they took in the notes.

"I thought this was Maths," James whispered. "Where are the numbers?"

Poppy laughed. "Becca, no studying on the table, you know my rules. And it's my birthday party, let's stop thinking about exams for a little while."

Sirius raised his eyebrow at Lily. "Are you _sure_ she's your sister?"

Lily threw him a potato.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

"It's _here_! It's here, it's here, it's here, _it's here_!"

"And I thought _I _got excited when my Hogwarts letter came."

Poppy glared at her brother-in-law, who was currently sprawled over the sofa. He and Lily had come around for lunch as they had taken on doing since she'd finished her exams.

James smirk fell when he saw the panic in her eyes.

He stood up slowly. "Hey, what's wrong?" He glanced at the kitchen door, where Lily was finishing lunch, somewhat desperate.

Her hands were shaking so James caught them in his. "What if…?" her voice came out small and vulnerable. "What if I don't get in?"

"Oh, Pop," he'd taken on using Lily's nickname for her. "You did great. Your High-Levels were great."

A smile tugged at her lips. "_A-levels_," she corrected.

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. You studied _hard_, that much I know. You studied harder than anyone." His eyes were as intense as his voice. "And those things were tough, hell, that Physics thing was worse than N.E.W.T level Arithmancy. And I studied mathematics as a child and _that _was not mathematics. But still, you got amazing marks and you _have_ gotten in."

It was hard not to believe him when he sounded so convinced of it. Poppy bet he could tell someone they sky wasn't blue and they would believe it.

She looked down at the letter clutched in her hand, which at the same time was being clutched by James' Potter hands. The black and white logo at the corner seemed to taunt her.

"Do you want me to read it for you?"

Sometimes she wondered how Lily had managed to find such a perfect man. "Please."

Poppy waited with a pained grimace and her eyes closed as he read the letter. Her heart was beating out of control and her hands were sweating.

"Pop…"

He was smiling. James was smiling at her. Soft and warm and relieved and _proud_.

"I got in?" she gasped.

He nodded. Poppy jumped into his arms with a squeal of joy. James spun her around the living room.

"Should I be worried?"

James set her down and they both looked at Lily, who was leaning against the kitchen doorframe with an eyebrow raised. Even if her tone had been dry, Poppy knew her sister was amused by the scene.

"I'm going to UCL!" Poppy laughed with disbelief as the words left her lips and the truth of it seemed to hit her. "I'm going to- Lily! I'm studying Mechanical Engineering in _Universiy College London_!

Lily squealed and Poppy squealed back and soon they were hugging and laughing and screaming. They got James to join their explosive expression of joy and Poppy was so glad Lily had married him.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Eli, Jill and Becca helped her pack. Jill was staying in Cokeworth having had no intention of getting into University once her A-Levels results came back. Instead, she had started working at her Mum's flower shop.

She was happy enough.

Becca had gotten into UCL as well, Economics, and Eli was in Queen Mary University of London studying Medicine. The three of them had managed to find a cheap enough flat to share in Chelsea.

It may or may not have been right below Sirius' flat (which had a permanent room for Remus and another one for Peter) and he may or may not have put in a good word with his landlord to get the girls the flat.

They promised Jill to visit a lot and offered her a place to crash if she ever wanted. Sirius offered the same and Jill winked at him, promising to take him up in that offer.

Remus took to hanging around some afternoons and watching _Doctor Who_ with her. It seemed they didn't have a telly because magic interfered with technology and he really missed it at times. They had lunch some weekends with the Marauders and whenever the girls threw a party they made sure to invite them.

After all, Peter made the best dips ever invented.

They'd known each other since they were kids and so they quickly fell into a routine. Eli cooked and Becca and Poppy would clean. They would shop Saturday mornings and would always try to eat together. They teased each other about their hook-ups and crushes and fought over who had to answer the telephone.

Before she knew it, it was Christmas and they were back on Cokeworth. She spent Christmas Eve with her friends and Christmas Day in Lily and James' house with the Marauders and Lily's friends.

Or she would if her sister decided to show up.

"She went to the bathroom like half an hour ago and hasn't left since," James told her with a shrug. "I've learnt not to pry."

Poppy hummed and went to find her sister while she left James to greet the rest of the guests as they came.

Lily was locked in the big bathroom of the Potter Manor. Poppy knew it was a huge fancy bathroom with even a couch.

She knocked on the door after trying the handle. "Lils, can I come in?" she called.

"Go away!" Lily's voice came out muffled and somewhat strangled.

Poppy hadn't been expecting such hostility and it worried her.

"Lily, come on, let me in. I can bring you some water or some toilet paper if you want to. Is it your stomach? Do you need some tea?"

"I'm fine, go away!"

She was clearly not fine.

"You're not fine," said Poppy. "If you were you wouldn't be locked in the bathroom. Come on, I'm your sister. Let me help. I promise I won't tell anybody what it is."

She waited for an answer and silence stretched in a long moment. She was considering maybe asking James to fly her to the window with his broom when the lock clicked and the door opened on its own.

Lily was curled up on the floor against the opposite wall. Which was strange because there was a perfectly comfortable couch just a few feet away. Her face was red and blotchy, her eyes puffy. She had been crying.

"Oh, Lils." Poppy kneeled in front of her sister. There was a light blue potion that she pushed aside so that she could touch her arms, currently hugging her knees to her chest. "What's wrong?"

Lily looked at her and Poppy was alarmed to see the utter panic in her eyes.

"Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm-" Her sister's gaze went to the potion on the floor and then back to her again. "I'm-" she chocked, the next word not leaving her lips. "I'm pregnant," she whispered.

Poppy gaped at her. _Pregnant_. She tried to find something to say. _Pregnant_. Her mind was completely blank, it was as if her brain had stopped working. _Pregnant_. Lily's eyes showed desperation alongside with panic now.

"Congratulations," Poppy managed in the end.

"Congratulations?" Lily's voice raised in hysterics. "I'm not even twenty years old! I can't be pregnant!"

Poppy couldn't even imagine herself being pregnant a year from then. She mentally shivered at the image. "Well, yes… you're a bit young…"

"We're in the middle of a war, Poppy!" Lily's voice became higher and higher. "I can't bring a child to the world. People are dying and I can't hardly keep myself alive much less-" A sob cut her off and she brought her hands to her mouth to muffle it.

"Oh, Lils," Poppy sighed, her heart breaking for her sister. She rose on her knees and leaned forward to hug her. Lily melted into a teary mess at the embrace.

They stayed like that for five long minutes. Poppy's knees began to ache but she refused to move. Her sister needed her and she would endure any discomfort to be there for her.

"I don't know what to do," Lily said quietly once her sobs had subdued. "And it's not like I can go to Mum or Grandma Rose for help. Not even James' Mum. I have no one."

"Shhhh," Poppy soothed her. "You have me," she didn't mention how she knew even less about babies than Lily probably did. "You have me."

The older sister finally broke away from the youngest embrace. "What do I do, Pop?" she begged.

Hell if Poppy had any ideas. "Does James know?"

Lily shook her head. "I just did the test." She looked back at the potion. A pregnancy test potion, Poppy realized.

"Well, then that's probably a good place to start," Poppy said. "You can decide what you want to do together."

Lily nodded, taking in a shaky breath. "Together," she repeated.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Poppy's nephew was born one hot summer night. It was the 31st of July and Poppy felt as if her skin would melt right out her bones if she had to keep waiting on that stuffy hospital waiting room.

At least she was faring better than Sirius who looked like a caged animal pacing from one end to the other of the room. Little Harry had been supposed to be born mid-August and so when Lily's waters had broken that morning while she visited Poppy during her first shift at the restaurant they all had panicked.

Sirius, Remus, Peter, Marlene, Mary and Poppy had all spent the day bothering the healers in St. Mungo's while James went back and forth from Lily's room to keep them updated. They also drank probably unhealthy amounts of tea.

So when James finally came with a tiny bundle in his arms they all breathed out in relief.

"Everybody," he said. "Meet Harry James Potter."

They all crowded around James, peeked down and awwwd. Little Harry was sleeping. His skin was still purple-reddish but he had the cutest little nose and the cutest little eyelids and the cutest little ears.

"I can't believe I'm an aunt," Poppy said.

James beamed at her. "You'll be the best aunt," he assured. "And you'll be the godfather, right, Pads."

Sirius would deny it fervently on the years to come but he totally fainted.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Poppy's second year at uni was much like the first. She drowned in exams and essays, somehow still found time to hang out with her friends and bothered Sirius and Remus when she ran out of food (or Vodka).

Her sister, baby Harry and James went into hiding. It appeared that madman Voldemort was coming after Harry because of some stupid prophecy. Poppy hadn't even been aware that prophecies existed in the wizarding world.

"I'll send you letters," Lily swore during their watery goodbye. "And I'll see if there's a payphone around somewhere so I can call you."

"You do that," Poppy told her firmly. "And I'll make Sirius take me so I can visit. There's no way I'm missing Harry grow up."

"Oh, so you'll visit for Harry but if it was for me I could rot."

Poppy smirked at her. "Glad you know where you stand."

Lily shoved her with a laugh.

She didn't get to visit much, as it was seemingly too risky, so Poppy pestered her sister to send her as many pictures of Harry as she could manage to make. They called each other at least once every two weeks and Poppy kept her updated in all the juicy gossip she had.

Lily didn't even know the people Poppy told her about but she sure appreciated the tales.

Poppy spent Christmas Day with Petunia that year. It was the first time she'd seen her sister in over a year. She met Dudley, her other nephew, for the first time and quickly decided which of both boys was her favourite after Dudley threw his food at her several times in a row.

Even if Dudley had awfully cute chubby cheeks.

.

.

In May, after all the exams were done but before she started working again in the restaurant, she went one a one-week trip to Spain with Eli, Becca and Jill. She got back sunburned but with a new sudden appreciation of sangria and Spanish girls.

"No wonder you've never been interested in me," Sirius told her when Eli accidentally let it slip one day early in September.

"As if," Poppy snorted. "I'm into boys too and I've never been into you."

Sirius gasped offended. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I like boys and I had no problem in not falling for your charms," said Eli.

Becca seconded it with a nod. "You have girl's hair."

"I do _not_!"

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Poppy Evans was twenty years old and nursing a horrible post-Halloween hangover when she found her nephew in a basket at her doorstep.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Welp, this got long.**

**At first this was supposed to be a PoppyxSirius, well, originally HollyxSirius but it was awkward and didn't really fit. So I decided that Poppy and Lily had a wonderful sisterly bond they had to share with the world.**

**It's a headcanon of mine that Harry was due in August but he was born earlier and cue THE CHOSEN ONE.**

**I have half in mind to do a second part with Poppy raising Harry and stuff but tell me what you think.**

**Love,**

**MW.**


End file.
